Resistive memory cell with intrinsic current control

US9735357B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CrossBar, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Sung Hyun Jo · Sunnyvale, US
• Xianliang Liu · Emeryville, US
• Xu Zhao · Lanzhou, CN
• Zeying Ren · Albany, US
• FNU Atiquzzaman · Berkeley, US
• Joanna Bettinger · Oakland, US
• Fengchiao Joyce Lin · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 1, 2016
• Grant date: Aug 15, 2017
• Expiry date: Feb 1, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10B63/84

Abstract

Providing for a two-terminal memory cell having intrinsic current limiting characteristic is described herein. By way of example, the two-terminal memory cell can comprise a particle donor layer having a moderate resistivity, comprised of unstable or partially unstable metal compounds. The metal compounds can be selected to release metal atoms in response to an external stimulus (e.g., an electric field, a voltage, a current, heat, etc.) into an electrically-resistive switching medium, which is at least in part permeable to drift or diffusion of the metal atoms. The metal atoms form a thin filament through the switching medium, switching the memory cell to a conductive state. The moderate resistivity of the particle donor layer in conjunction with the thin filament can result in an intrinsic resistance to current through the memory cell at voltages above a restriction voltage, protecting the memory cell from excessive current.